Rescue car



L. Y. SPEAR April 8, 1930.

RES CUE GAR Filed Feb. 20, 1928 2 Shee'CS-Sheet l ,jhm/anim law/600 Y @0637 L. Y. sPEAR April 8, 1930.

RESCUE CAR Filed Feb. 2o, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 f l l l l l l l u l I l l f l I I I l l I I I I I l w Z7 n fla jmnof" gaffe/2C@ Y goeaf" mwah.

Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES MTENTopleiderv LAWRENCE Y. sPEAE, E NEW LoNDoN, CONNECTICUT, AssIeNoR To ELECTRIC BCAT COMPANY, OF GROTON, CONNECTICUT,

e CORPORATION or' NEW zrrntsiar` EEsCuE CAR Application led February 20,1928; Slerial No. 255,683.

This invention relates to a device adapted for use with submarine boats, and more particularly to what I term a rescue car. v

Great ditliculty is experiencedin rescuing men from a submarine boat which is submerged at an appreciable depth and, due to injury or other causes, is unable to rise to the surface. Under such conditions the men can not safely escape through the access hatches or by means of the torpedo tubes, as can be done in shallow water, since the high pressure at greater depths is injurious and, in many cases, fatal to men exposed to such pressure. Under such conditions, eventhougha man were not drowned before reaching the surface his chances of rescue are very slight. I have found that these difficulties can be avoided by providing a suitable container or car, which is adapted to withstand the high pressure encountered at the greater depths in which a submarine boat may be submerged, this car beingfadapted for insertion into the torpedo tubes of the boat and having means for effecting a watertight closure with the muzzle end of the tube, a suit-able removable closure being provided for the inner end of the car when inserted into thetube. 4This vrenders it possible to insert the car into atorpedo tube after which the tube is drained and the removable cover is removed from the inner end ot the car so as to permit the men to be rescued to enter the car, after which the removable covery or Closure for the car is replaced and the car is then removed from the .tube and raised to the surface. In this manner rescue of the men can be eii`ected without subjecting them tothe high pressures obtaining at appreciable depths. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.`

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation, `partly brokenaway and in section, ot a rescue car constructed in accordance with my invention as used with a torpedo tube of known type, the torpedo tube and associated parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a section taken ysubstantially `on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line '3-3 of Fig. 2,'this section omitted;

being taken through the rescue car fronly and the torpedo tube Fig. 4 is an linner end view ofthe car showing a modified form of closure means applied thereto; f Y

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figi; Y v

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section through the inner endy portion of the torpedo tube and-the and associated partsbeing car, showing a secondmodified form ot-closf ure tor the inner end vof the car g' Fig. 7V is a semi-diagrammatic view illus trating the method of loweringthecarand inserting it into the torpedo tube. In accordance with my invention, I construct a cylindrical container or body 1 which is formed ot sheet steel or other suitable material and possesses suticient strength to resist the high pressures which obtain at a depth of several hundred feet or more. At one end'the bodyl is closed by a rounded head 2 having a iiange 3 which fits tightly into the end of the body and is secured therein by welding or in any otherisuitable manner to form a watertight closure therewith'. This head is provided with an outer annular flange 4 having a dovetail Lrecess for reception of a packing member or gasket 5 disposed to seat aga-inst the beaded outer or muzzle end ot a torpedo tube 6 of known construction.

The body l of the car is ot appreciably smaller diameter than lthe interior of the tube 6 to facilitateinsertion of the car into the tube.V

The head2 is further provided withan eye member 7 secured thereto by riveting or in e any other-suitable manner, this eye member v beingadapted for reception of a cable or line Y from a surface ship for lowering and raising opening which is normally closed by a cover or door 9 of rounded shape which is hinged at 10 to the ring member. This door is provided with a thickened peripheral portion having a dovetail groove which receives a packing member or gasket 11 which seats the inner face of ring against the end of the ring member and forms a watertight closure therewith when the door is in closed position. n Suitable dogs 12 are provided on the door and engage cooperating abutment members 13 secured on 8. The dogs 12 and members 13 cooperate to secure thedoor 9 closed and to force the gasket 11 tightly against the end of ring8. The dogs 12 are of known type, and each comprises an outer handle 12a, an inner cam member 12b which is preferably elongated to provide a handle for operating the dog from within the car, and a connecting rod or spindle 12c passing through cover 9, the handle 12EL and member 12b being suitably secured on the ends of spindle 12C. Cam member 12b has a camming action with the abutment member or lug 13 and coacts therewith for forcingthe cover tightly closed and securing it. Dogs of this type for securing hatch scuttles or covers are known, and their operation is well understood by those skilled in the art, The dogs are constructed to be operated either interiorly or 'eXteriorly of the body 1, as'will be clear from 3 of the drawings'.

I pane or block 14 of glass or other suitable transparent material is secured in cover 2 in a suitable manner and permits the diver to see into the container 1 at the outer end thereof when the container is inserted into the-tube 6. A target 15 of suitable type is. mounted on an operating rod 16 which is slidableA through guides 17 secured to the inner face of body 1 and ring 8. This rod also passes through a bracket 18 secured to the inner face of the body and isurged toward the door 9 by an expansion coil spring 19 mounted about the rod and confined between bracket 18and a collar 20 secured on the rod. Movement of the rod toward the door is limited by a stop pin y disposed to contact with the guide member 17 secured on the inner face lof lringf. The target 15 may be of any suitable type, that used being preferably a luminous type tar`- get suchY as will be readily visiblethrough the glass .14 when disposed closely adjacentothe inner face-thereof but not readily visible when withdrawn from the glass; The other end of rod'16 is disposed to contact with door 9 adjacent the periphery thereof .when the doorgis closed. Closing ofthe door moves the rod 16 towards the opposite end of the body 1 so as to dispose the target 15 closely adjacent the glass, pane 14 This provides simple and .efficient indicating means for signaling to the diver exterior of the submarine boatwhen the door 9 is closed.

The car constructed in the manner illustrated and described is adapted for use with the torpedo tube 6 i f a submarine boat of known construction the inner and outer hulls 22 and 23, respectively, of which are shown fragmentarily and in section in Fig.' 1- of the 21 secured therein and f stood by those acquainted with submarine boats, and need not be illustrated nor described in detail.

In using my rescue car, after locating the torpedo tube of the disabled submarine the diver signals to the occupants thereofjwho thereupon flood the tube 6, the muzzle cover 11 being in its normal closed position. After the tube has been flooded the cover 11 is opened in a known manner and the diver or divers insert the car into tube 6 so as to bring the flanged against the beaded muzzle end of the tube. The occupants of the compartment of the submarine boat are then advised that the rescue car is in position and drain the tube 6, the pressure on head 2 serving to hold the flange 4 thereof tightly against the muzzle end of the ytube and to force the gasket 5 into watertight contact with the tube. After the tube has been drained, the breech door 10 thereof is removed, The dogs 12 are thenturned to release door`9 of the car and two of theoccupants of the compartment enter the car, the second occupant entering feet first so that theV occupants are disposed with their feet adjacent each othei'and their heads toward the ends of the car, aslillustrated'in Fig. 1. The door 9 ofthe car is then closed and secured by the remaining occupants of the compartment of the submarine, after which the breech door 10 of tube 6 is replaced and, after signaling to the divers, the torpedo tube is flooded to permit withdrawal of the car. The car is vthen raised to the surface Vby means of a cable or line passed through the submarine, the breech door 10 of the tube 6 is secured open in any suitablemanner and the compartment of the submarine is flooded. This may be accomplished by opening a valve within thel compartment or means operabley by the diver exterior of the-boat may be provided for effecting flooding of the compartment. Then the incoming water causes the pressure inside of thecompartmont to equal that on the outside the rescue'car may be withdrawn and raised to the surface in "the manner described.

In the modified forni of closure for the access end of the car 1, illustratedin Figs. et and 5, a ring 24 is secured in the end of body 1 by being Welded tlierein,for-in any other suitable manner. The inner face of this ring is beveled at 25 to avoid a projection or sharp edge which might injure the man in the lower portion of the car during raising thereof. The ring 24C is provided with a rabbet in its outer portion which receives a packing ring or gasket 26 which cooperates with fiange 27 a of a door or closure member 27. The closure member 27 is provided with Y an inwardly extending flange 28 of a diameter to iit snugly within ring 24. Securing pins 29 are secured inthe flange 28 and disposed to engage into bayonet slots 30 eX- tending from the outer edge of ring 24. The

flange 28 is further provided with two in tegral bosses 3l which receive the ends of a cross bar 32. This cross bar forms a hand hold by means of which the occupant of the inner end or portion of the car is enabled to tightly secure the closure member 27 in closed position before withdrawal of the car from the torpedo tube. This is, of course, essential in the case of the last'man leaving the compartment of the submarine. The form illustrated in Fig. 6 is-similar to that of Figs. 4 and 5 except that the flange 28a of the cover member is exteriorly threaded and screws into the iing 24a which is interiorly threaded. lVhile the form of closure for the access end of the car illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3,'is efficient and satisfactory when the car is used with the larger size of torpedo tube, which has a diameter of 21 inches, I find that for the smaller size tube having a diameter of 18 inches, the closures illustrated in Figs. el to 6, are preferable as the closure members 27 can be removed in such manner as to leave practically the entire end of the car. open and unobstructed for ingress and egress.

To facilitate insertion and removal of the closure member 27, this member is provided, on its outer face with a plurality of ribs 33 which are disposed radially of the member 27 and are equally spaced. I have shown four of these ribs, though the numberl of ribs employed may vary, as desired. Each of the ribs is provided with a hand opening 4, the ribs thus forming hand holds which facilitate turning of the cover 27 to'screw the same into or out of the end-of the car. The ribs 33 are arcuate and decrease uniformly in width from the center of the cover to the periphery thereof, as illustrated in Figs. 5

and 6. The tivo pairs of ribs disposed at right angles to each other thus provide, in effect, a rounded surfacevvhich eliminates undesirable projections, such as might inter fere with manipulation of the cai' when in-v serting it into or removing it from the torpedo tube.

In order that the car maybe readily manipulated by the `divers,a suitable ballast memf" ber `35 is secured within body 1in "a 'suitablemanner, this member beingdisposed equidis'- tant from the ends of the car. The ballast member isof proper weight to impart a'slight negative bu'oyancyvto the car-and-is so y"dis-r posed as to cause the car to tend to assume a horizontal position fin-fthe water. This facilitates manipulation ofthe car and insertion thereof into the torpedo tube. While the car may be handled by one diver at the disabled submarine, I preferably havetwo divers'to handle the car due to its length and in order that the men in the compartment of the submarine boat may-be removed therefrom as expeditiously as possible.

The car is preferably lowered in horizontal position and suspended adjacent and in alignment with the torpedo tube sor as to be readily .inserted thereinto upon opening of the muzzle cover. To accomplish this I provide a suitable bridle 35 (Fig. 7) secured to a line 36 by which the car is raised and lowered, this line being secured through eye The bridle is secured about the car at opposite sides of and equidistant from the centre thereof, thus supporting the car horizontally as it is lowered into position. When the muzzle cover 1l is opened, the car is inserted intothe torpedo tube a short distance. The bridle is then removed, after which the car is inserted int-o its full operative position within the tube. This greatly facilitates handling of the car and insertion thereof into the torpedo tube.

While I have shown a removable closure or door at one end of the car', I contemplate providing removable closures at both ends of the car, as in my copending application for rescue submarine filed February 20, 1928, Serial Number 255,684. This is advantageous as facilitating escape or removal of the occupants from the car.

What I claim is 1. In a rescue car for use with submarine boats, a hollow body closed at one end and adapted for insertion into a torpedo tube, the'body being provided at said end with means for effecting a water tight closure with the muzzle end of the tube, a removable water tight closure for the other end of the body, and signal means effective at the first mentioned end of the body and actuated by the closure for indicating when said closure is in position to close said other end ofthe body.

2. In a rescue car for use with submarine boats, a hollow body closed at one end and adapted for insertion into a tubular member opening through the hull of the boat, the body'ibeing provided at said end with means for effecting' a water tight closure with the adjacent end of said member, a removable Vwater tight` closure for the other end of the body, and signal means effective at the first 4 kille mentioned end of the body and actuatedbythe closure for indicating when said Closure is in position to close said other end of the body.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day of February,

f LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR. 

